Close X
Friday, November 29, 2024
ADVT 
National

1 in 4 Canadians fear income won't cover basic needs: Salvation Army poll

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 18 Dec, 2023 11:47 AM
  • 1 in 4 Canadians fear income won't cover basic needs: Salvation Army poll

A new survey suggests one in four Canadians are extremely concerned about having enough income to cover their basic needs, with the highest degree of hardship being felt by single parents.

The Salvation Army released the data today as part of their annual report examining Canadians' attitudes and experiences with poverty and related socioeconomic issues.

Among single parents, closer to half are reporting extreme concern about meeting basic needs at 40 per cent, while the numbers clock in at 31 per cent for single-person households and 31 per cent for caregivers.

The research by Edelman Data and Intelligence suggests one in five Canadians are eating less so their children or other family members could eat, and one in five also skipped or reduced the size of at least one meal in the last year because they couldn't afford groceries. Those numbers jump again to nearly half for single parents.

The research was conducted Oct. 12 to 19 among a nationally representative sample of 1,515 Canadians, but did not include those living in Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut.

Lt.-Col. John Murray says the findings are troubling but accurately line up with The Salvation Army's internal data and the need at shelters, food banks and churches in the communities they serve.

"They're people that you and I and everyday Canadians know. I think at one point in time perhaps, people who were struggling were the people in other communities, in other parts of the country," said Murray, technical communications secretary for The Salvation Army.

"But what we're seeing is that this is a consistent trend from coast to coast to coast."

Housing security continued to be of major concern for Canadians, with 1 in 10 reporting extreme concern about basic human needs like food and shelter, or being affected by an emergency or natural disaster.

Frequency of food bank usage has also increased, with 22 per cent of those who used food banks in the last year reporting going once a week or more often, up from 18 per cent in 2022. Among those who used a food bank in 2023, nearly half were first-time users.

"One of the things we discovered this year that continues to not surprise us, but I think more disturbs us as an organization, is that children make up 34 per cent of all the people that come to organizations such as The Salvation Army for assistance," said Murray.

The report suggests the proportion of Canadians facing challenges to food and housing security, as well as health issues and managing limited resources, is not expected to improve significantly in the next six months.

And while there are high numbers of Canadians struggling, donation levels to support those in need are actually slightly decreasing by between 0.2 and 1 percentage point compared to 2022.

"It's a reminder to Canadians, for those who do have the capability and capacity to pause, to stop and think of others, to make a donation, to invest in the lives of friends and perhaps family in the communities where they live," said Murray.

MORE National ARTICLES

Deputy BC Green leader fired for liking post about Bonnie Henry and Nazi doctor

Deputy BC Green leader fired for liking post about Bonnie Henry and Nazi doctor
Inappropriate social media activity has cost Dr. Sanjiv Gandhi his job as deputy leader of the BC Green Party and he's also resigned as a Green candidate in the 2024 provincial election. An online message posted Wednesday by BC Green Leader Sonia Furstenau says Gandhi was removed when she learned the details.

Deputy BC Green leader fired for liking post about Bonnie Henry and Nazi doctor

Pedestrian hit in Vancouver

Pedestrian hit in Vancouver
B.C.'s police watchdog is now investigating after a car hit a pedestrian in downtown Vancouver. Investigators with the Independent Investigations Office were called to the scene this morning where roads had been closed for several hours.  

Pedestrian hit in Vancouver

RBC donates $1.7 Million to Vancouver Art Gallery through RBC Emerging Artists Program

RBC donates $1.7 Million to Vancouver Art Gallery through RBC Emerging Artists Program
Since 1979, RBC has played a role in the Vancouver Art Gallery's journey, providing over half a million dollars of support for the Gallery's community programs. This dedication has helped strengthen the Gallery's mission to connect people, art and ideas, and highlights the shared belief in the power of art to shape our communities. RBC's support has been pivotal in the success of programs such as 'Art Connects–Raising Diverse Voices,' for which the Gallery remains deeply grateful.

RBC donates $1.7 Million to Vancouver Art Gallery through RBC Emerging Artists Program

Jump in BC's living wage

Jump in BC's living wage
A new report shows Metro Vancouver's living wage has increased to 25-dollars and 68 cents per hour this year. That amount reported by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives B-C Office and Living Wage for Families B-C represents a six per cent rise from the previous year. 

Jump in BC's living wage

B.C. tables legislation to encourage communities to build homes near transit hubs

B.C. tables legislation to encourage communities to build homes near transit hubs
The British Columbia government has introduced legislation it estimates could provide up to 100,000 new homes near designated transit areas over the next decade. The government says the proposed legislation is aimed at encouraging communities to build housing in areas designated as transit hubs.

B.C. tables legislation to encourage communities to build homes near transit hubs

Avian flu infects more B.C. farms as wild birds migrate overhead

Avian flu infects more B.C. farms as wild birds migrate overhead
Avian flu is spreading rapidly through British Columbia poultry farms, including half a dozen diagnosed in commercial flocks this week alone.  The fall migration of wild birds is considered the primary cause of infection for B.C.’s commercial and backyard operations.

Avian flu infects more B.C. farms as wild birds migrate overhead